Autumn at EPCOT means one thing: the International Food & Wine Festival. From meals inspired by far-flung destinations, to live music and unique experiences, the festival is one of my absolute favorite Disney traditions! But with so much to offer, it can feel overwhelming. Here's my insider's guide to what the festival is all about, and how to make the most of your time.
What Is the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival?
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is one of Walt Disney World's most beloved annual events, typically running from late August through Thanksgiving. The festival brings flavors from around the globe to Florida, with over 30 food kiosks (or as Disney calls them, "Global Marketplaces") offering international cuisine, along with regional beverages, wines, and spirits.
But while it's the focus, the festival is not only about eating and drinking! It’s a fully immersive event that brings together food, entertainment, and special activities. From live music to scavenger hunts to unique shopping, the Food & Wine Festival creates a lively atmosphere that immerses you in the fun.
What to Expect at the Festival
The Food & Wine Festival offers something for all kinds of visitors, whether you’re traveling solo, with friends, or as a family (I've done all three, and it's a blast every time!). Here's what you can expect:
Global Marketplaces: The centerpiece of the Festival, each marketplace is essentially a kiosk focusing on a specific country or cuisine. The selections vary from year to year, but in 2024, example nations are as far flung as Australia, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Japan, France, Canada, India, and beyond. Specialty stations like Flavors From Fire focus on grilled dishes, the Brew-Wing Lab has some truly surprising wings and beer options, and Bramblewood Bites or Forest & Field let autumn shine with ingredients like butternut squash, figs, apple cider, huckleberries, and even bison.
Most of the marketplace kiosks can be found around the large circular loop of the World Showcase, scattered among the full-time country-themed pavilions. In recent years, the festival has spread to the other half of the park as well, and marketplaces can now often be found adjacent to attractions and venues like Test Track, Connections Cafe, or the Communicore Hall. Pick up a Festival Passport when you enter the park, or at any of the Marketplaces, for a full list of menus and locations.
While the focus is rightly on the food, these kiosks also represent a wide range of cultures, often staffed with natives of their representative countries, serving bite-sized portions of their local dishes and beverages. It's a pretty incredible way to experience dozens of different cultures in a single afternoon!
Inclusive Options: Also noteworthy, most of the marketplaces offer vegetarian and vegan options, plant-based dishes made with Impossible proteins, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. There are adventurous options, like the Brioche aux Escargot in France, as well as more comforting dishes like the selection of hot dogs served in regional US styles, or a selection of different mac and cheeses. Even the Muppet-hosted marketplace (yes, that's definitely a thing!) goes all-out with the Unnecessarily Spicy Yet Extremely Tasty Carolina Reaper Pepper Curry Wings, and the controversial but intriguing Pickle Milk Shake.
Many special dietary requests can also be accommodated with these menus, and allergy-friendly dishes and menus can be found at most kiosks. Chefs are even available before you order to consult on ingredients and suitability to your specific needs.
Live Entertainment: There are plenty of year-round opportunities to enjoy performances or music at EPCOT – an Encanto stage show, traditional Taiko drummers from Japan, the beats of the JAMMitors, or the soaring a cappella sound of the Voices of America, to name a few. What's special during the festival is the Eat to the Beat series. An eclectic range of retro and often big-name performers take the stage three times every night at the America Gardens Theatre, overlooking the World Showcase Lagoon. Sugar Ray, Tiffany, Sheila E., Billy Ocean, Hanson (yes, THAT Hanson), Boyz II Men, Smash Mouth, and 98 Degrees are just a handful of the names in the 2024 lineup, and every show is included with your admission to EPCOT for the day.
There are also "dining packages" available, where a prix fixe meal at one of the many sit-down restaurants in EPCOT includes first entry and guaranteed seating to one of the performances that day. If you want to take advantage of the package, make sure you book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package reservation, and not just a standard restaurant reservation. That would still get you a great meal, but you'll miss out on the prix fixe menu and the special seating.
Scavenger Hunts: There are two fun activities you can play while you wander, and they can also win you some fun goodies! First, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt lets you search for hidden Remy statues around World Showcase. As you find them, you add a sticker for their location, on a map that you can pick up at various shops and merchandise booths throughout the park. When you've completed your map, bring it back to one of these spots to pick up a Festival keepsake as your prize.
Cheese lovers will want to take part in the next fun challenge! For Emile's Fromage Montage, grab five different cheese dishes from around the festival (oh no, twist my arm), and collect a stamp in your Festival Passport for each. Take your collected stamps to the Shimmering Sips Marketplace for your reward. I won't spoil the treat, but I will mention you'll also bring home a special souvenir cup!
Unique Merchandise: Each year, Disney releases a new line of festival-exclusive merchandise, from apparel and kitchen gadgets to collectible pins and artwork. There are several merchandise-specific marketplaces, and much is also available in the indoor shopping locations as well. It’s the perfect way to commemorate your trip!
How to make the most of Your visit
With so much to do, planning ahead is key to the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. Here are some of my tips for navigating the event:
Get There Early: Crowds tend to build up throughout the day, so consider arriving for a lunchtime festival experience, exploring the marketplaces while lines are still relatively short. The kiosks do open their windows a few hours after the park itself, so don't feel like you have to arrive at rope drop (i.e., the moment EPCOT opens) to get the most out of the festival.
Use the Festival Passport: Pick up the passport when you arrive, and take a few minutes to browse through and find a few dishes you don't want to miss. This guide will help you keep track of what you want to try and where the booths are located, making it easy to plan your route around the park.
Pace Yourself: It’s easy to overdo it when faced with so many tempting options! The portions are usually a generous tasting-size, so I usually aim for four to five items – and desserts don't count! An easy trick is sharing plates with friends or family, so you can sample more without getting too full too fast. It can be especially fun for your party to split up to a few different nearby booths, and then convene with everyone's plates for a mini potluck!
Don't Be Afraid of Trashcans: Since the marketplaces are mostly outdoor installations, at some point you'll run into a table shortage. In that case, do what the experts do -- use a trashcan for your table! It's practically long-standing tradition to take advantage of the nice flat surface on top of EPCOT's receptacles, so jump in and grab a spot!
Plan Around the Heat: Florida in the fall can still be very hot and humid, and EPCOT is big, so plan your day with air-conditioned breaks in mind. The World Showcase alone is a 1.3 mile loop around the lagoon, which makes for a lot of walking! There are many opportunities to head inside to cool down or dry off as you walk around the country pavilions -- let yourself wander and explore. Enjoy some rides or shows -- the food will still be waiting when you're done!
Pick Your Direction: When you do walk the World Showcase loop, you can go clockwise, the "Mexico-first" direction, or counter-clockwise, starting "Canada-first." There are great food options either way, but I like to suggest going Mexico-first for this reason: Between the France and the UK pavilions, there's the "International Gateway," which is essentially the back entrance to EPCOT. You'll get there about 2/3 of the way around the loop, which is often when kids might be getting cranky, folks might need a break, or rain might be rumbling on the horizon. You can take easy advantage of the Gateway exit, and either take a short walk to one of the nearby resorts for a moment of relaxation, or pile into the Skyliner and sail through the air over to the Riviera Resort. The Skyliner is like a ride in itself, and the atmosphere at the resort is delightful and feels very European. Once you're refreshed (or the weather has cleared) you can pop right back in to EPCOT and pick up where you left off.
Stay for the Fireworks: EPCOT’s nighttime spectacular, Luminous: The Symphony of Us, is a beautiful way to end your festival day. As the evening winds down, grab a spot near the lagoon. I'm partial to watching from the France pavilion, where there often 1) tables and chairs and 2) easy access to the frozen French Cosmo at the nearby marketplace, but spots all around the lagoon offer a fantastic view of the show.
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival offers so much more than a food tasting tour—it's a full sensory experience that celebrates culture, entertainment, and adventure. By planning ahead, pacing yourself, and making the most of the activities, you can create lasting memories of this unique event. Whether you're diving into a scavenger hunt, savoring global bites, or enjoying the evening fireworks, the festival has something special.
So grab your Festival Passport, follow the smells of delicious dishes, and let the magic of EPCOT guide you through this one-of-a-kind celebration. With a little strategy, you’ll leave the festival full of memories, experiences, and most importantly, delicious food!
As to Disney artwork, logos, and properties:©Disney.
